How many cartons fit on a Euro pallet?
A useful pallet plan must satisfy several limits at once. Floor space determines the layer, but height, weight and carton strength decide how many layers you can actually ship. Start with measured outer dimensions and explicit stacking rules.
Key takeaway
For this example, the arrangement holds 40 cartons: five layers of eight, with a loaded height of 139.4 cm and a gross weight of 505 kg.
Record the starting dimensions
Use a pallet measuring 120 × 80 cm, with a height of 14.4 cm and a tare weight of 25 kg. Each carton measures 40 × 30 × 25 cm externally and weighs 12 kg. Set the maximum loaded height to 150 cm and the permitted cargo weight to 600 kg. These are planning inputs, not universal transport limits.
Build a complete layer
With rotation permitted in the horizontal plane, place the 30 cm side along the pallet length and the 40 cm side across its width. Four cartons by two cartons give eight per layer, without overhang. With rotation disabled and 40 cm along the length, the simple grid gives six. This comparison concerns these arrangements; it is not a general proof of optimal packing.
Deduct the pallet height
The available carton height is 150 − 14.4 = 135.6 cm. Five layers of 25 cm fit, while six exceed the height limit. The loaded pallet therefore stands 14.4 + 5 × 25 = 139.4 cm high. Include any top protection or packaging additions when checking the final measured height.
Separate payload and gross weight
Forty cartons weigh 40 × 12 = 480 kg. Adding the pallet gives 505 kg gross. The 600 kg cargo limit is therefore respected; the pallet tare does not consume this particular payload allowance. If a carrier instead specifies a gross limit, compare it with 505 kg. Carton compression limits may still require fewer layers.
Check the actual shipping unit
Inspect support under the cartons, load distribution and the condition of the pallet. Verify that lower cartons can withstand the stack under the expected handling and storage conditions. Allow for tolerances, wrapping and securing materials. Save the permitted orientations with the plan, and use the final outer dimensions and gross weight when transferring the pallet to a loading plan.
Calculate with your own data
Calculate layers, loaded height and weight with a worked example, then check whether the arrangement can be used in practice.
Plan cartons on a pallet